Meru Unveils Subscription-Based Wi-Fi for SMBs

Meru Networks (MERU) is rolling out Meru XPress Cloud, a solution designed to help small and midsized businesses install a secure enterprise-grade WLAN network via the cloud. The solution will be available via a monthly subscription service or through a traditional payment model.

Meru said its controllerless 802.11ac solution was designed specifically for SMBs looking to deliver secure enterprise-grade Wi-Fi with a simplistic installation model. The entire XPress Cloud is comprised of a single Meru XP8i access point, which utilizes a plug-and-play model for easy setup.

While the idea of a plug and play Wi-Fi offering for SMBs isn’t a novel idea, Meru is banking on its subscription-based payment model as the largest selling point behind the new solution. XPress Cloud users will have the option to either pay for the solution in full or to utilize a monthly pay-as-you-go model to fit the needs of their business. Meru said its new cloud solution will only transmit network management traffic via the cloud, with all other corporate data remaining behind the firewall.

Many small businesses do not have the means of setting up a traditional enterprise Wi-Fi network, which often requires a more complex process to configure their infrastructure, according to the company. The new XPress Cloud solution was designed to accommodate the BYOD needs of small businesses and verticals including the K-12 education and retail markets which require easy setup and a more reliable connection for multiple users than the average consumer deployment.

“We’ve worked closely with small-to-medium enterprises around the world to understand what they need to meet their unique business demands,” said Don Trimble, vice president of SME Cloud Sales at Meru, in a statement. “These findings, combined with our experience in the design of enterprise-grade WLAN solutions, led to Meru XPress Cloud—a high-performance offering that brings affordability, ease of deployment and scalability to the SME and distributed enterprise markets.”

XPress Cloud also features management portal customization options, which will allow partners to brand their own specific offerings to customers. XPress Cloud is available now, but those who wish to sign up for the subscription model service will need to wait several weeks until the solution is generally available.